sts powerpoint presentation

World War I: Australians and the Western Front : 

World War I: Australians and the Western Front A study of evidence

Slide 2: 

How do we know what happened in World War I?

We rely on…. EVIDENCE (sources) : 

We rely on…. EVIDENCE (sources) What does evidence look like? Books Diaries Government documents Films

Problems with Evidence : 

Problems with Evidence It is difficult to determine the accuracy of a particular piece of evidence One way we can do this is through asking questions…

Motivations : 

Motivations What might have motivated or influenced the author to write/say what they did?

What happened in the school yard? : 

What happened in the school yard? BILL “I was just walking along minding my own business and Peter just came out of nowhere and hit me” PETER “Bill was making faces at me, but I decided I was going to be mature and walk away. As I was walking away I was yawning and Bill ran into my arm and hurt himself”

Slide 7: 

How do you know what actually happened? You weren’t there. So you have to rely on the evidence provided by Bill and Peter. Which story is more accurate?

Slide 8: 

You have to ask questions? What might have influenced/motivated Bill or Peter to say what they did?

Slide 9: 

Now let’s apply this idea to sources/evidence from World War I….

Fleurbaix, France 19th July 1916. : 

Fleurbaix, France 19th July 1916. “The handful in our trenches stood to arms all night, because the line was now dangerously weak, for there were no supports and no reserves, and many enemy elite forces were in front…A barrage chopped and pounded on the crammed line. The blockhouses were packed with dying men. Men shot through the stomach screamed for water. In mercy it was denied them. Some pleaded to be shot. High explosive crumped in the line; shrapnel crashed in the air.” “Two gallant enemies carried a wounded Australian to our parapet, stood at the salute, then turned and walked away. They unfortunately neglected to secure a safe conduct, and were shot, to the sincere regret of every Australian there, by someone in the next bay, who, owing to the shape of the line and the direction they had come, was in ignorance of their errand.” W. H. Downing “To the Last Ridge”.

Based on this account… : 

Based on this account… What was war like on the western front? What was war like for Australian soldiers on the Western Front?

Downing fought on the Western Front in World War I : 

Downing fought on the Western Front in World War I

Pozieres, France, July 26th 1917. : 

Pozieres, France, July 26th 1917. “I have been watching the units of a certain famous Australian force come out of action. They have fought such a fight that the famous division of British regular troops on their flank sent them a message to say that they were proud to fight by the side of them.” “On Saturday afternoon our heavy shells were tearing at regular intervals into the rear of the brickheaps which once were houses, and flinging up branches of trees and great clouds of black earth from the woods. A German letter was found next day dated “In Hell’s Trenches.” It added: “It is not really a trench, but a little ditch, shattered with shells-not the slightest cover and no protection. We have lost 50 men in two days, and life is unendurable…” Our men in their trenches were cleaning rifles, packing away spare kit, yearning there much as they yearned of old over the stock-yard fence or the gate of the horse paddock.” C.E.W. Bean “Letters From France”

Bean was a war correspondent for the Australian Government during World War I : 

Bean was a war correspondent for the Australian Government during World War I

Based on this account… : 

Based on this account… What was war like on the western front? What was war like for Australian soldiers on the Western Front?

Which account more accurately depicts the experiences of Australian’s on the Western Front? : 

Which account more accurately depicts the experiences of Australian’s on the Western Front? We have to ask questions… What might have influenced/motivated these two authors to write what they did?